Shoulder Clod

Lawn Ranger

Has anyone had any experience with beef shoulder clod on the EGG. I've done them in the past, but haven't tried one on the EGG, yet. It's a very popular, but relatively unknown cut, used by a lot of the better BBQ establishments throughout the Texas Hill Country. [p]It's a chuck portion of the beef that can weigh anywhere from 12 to 20 pounds. I like them much better than brisket, and they don't require the lengthy cook to acheive the desired tenderness. You cook it like a brisket, just not as long. When prepared somewhat rare it's more like a a slice of prime rib at about $1.29 /lb. [p]Since it is a hunk of meat that is rendered into a lot of other cuts, it's not a shelf item and you have to ask for it. However the butchers will know what you want and should have it in the cooler. There are some good meat websites that offer some more detail.[p]LR

Unknown

Lawn Ranger, Jim Minon should come riding along here in a short short and should be able to bring you up to speed. I know he has recently made a clod believer out of Dr Chicken!

dan c

Lawn Ranger,
What's the scientific name (in the butchers shelf)? Do you get yours at HEB or have you seen them there??
Thanks!

BBQfan1

dan c,
I've recently been emailing with Dr C about this, and the phrases he used were:
- clod roll
- chuck shoulder clod
- whole chuck arm roast
It's this last one that I think might bring a spark of recognition into the eyes of my Canadian meat cutter friend, since I've never seen the word 'clod' used here to describe any cut of beef before.....
Try these ones out on your local meat supplier and see what flies....
Qfan[/b]

dan c

BBQfan1,
BBQfan1,
Thanks! I'm close to San Antonio and haven't seen this cut yet. LR says to cook it less time than a brisket. Any idea(s) as to time? I don't Polder anymore, I suppose the 'stick a fork in it and turn' would work or is it too lean a cut for that??
TIA

Lawn Ranger

dan c,
Yes, I get them at HEB. But, as I said, they are not on the shelf as such. It is a cut of meat that is comprised of a number of familiar shelf cuts. In other words, the clod provides a variety of cuts such as shoulder, etc. Just ask the head butcher for a shoulder clod and he/she should be able to fix you up. It will be in cryo-vac with a very thick end and a portion that is more flat. Since there is a vast difference in thickness, I usually cut it in two for two different types of cooks. [p]I found a bunch of good sites on Google by just typing in "shoulder clod". Where around SA are you? The clod is what is used at Kreutz's in Lockhart. I first read about it in a Hill Country BBQ article in Texas Monthly several years ago.
LR

Unknown

Lawn Ranger,
The front shoulder chuck section produces the Shoulder Roll, Blade clod and Shoulder Clod. The Roll is the largest of the three primary cuts. Like you say if prepared rare it can be sliced, if taken to 190º+ internal it will pull like butt.. The yield is closer to 70% than brisket's 50%.
Jim

Lawn Ranger

Jim Minion,
It sounds like you're the clod expert. What internal temp. would you shoot for, for say, med.rare? And, what dome temp. would you cook at?[p]Your advice would be appreciated.[p]LR

Unknown

Lawn Ranger,
I normally would use a top sirloin roast for what you are describing but the cook would be the same. I would cook at 275º at the dome with deflector plates or drip pan and I would shoot for no higher than 130º internal, it will climb 5 to 10º while rest before carving.
If you have members of the crowd that are going to eat this meat that like med to med-well start out at even a higher dome temp but drop it to 275º after an hour to hour and a half. Same technique that many of you are using for prime rib.
Jim

Lawn Ranger

Jim Minion,
Much obliged!